Kidney Bean and Tomato Chili

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-08 · Updated 2026-04-08

A robust vegetarian chili simmered with kidney beans and tomatoes, enhanced with warm spices for a satisfying, homemade meal. This american-inspired vegetarian ready in about 45 minutes pairs olive oil, large, diced onion, diced carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 250 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, diced onion
• 2, diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 (15 oz) can, drained and rinsed kidney beans
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 diced large onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks, cooking for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, 1 cup vegetable broth, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
4. Step 4: Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Step 5: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot.